Brace for doors and the like



June 14, 1949. J. H. BoYE BnAcE Fon Doons AND THE 'LIKE Filed July 19, 1946 JNVENTQR.

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Patented June 14, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BRACE FOR DOORS AND THE LIKE James H. Boye, Chicago, Ill., assignor to James H. Boye Manufacturing Company, Chicago, D1., a corporation of Illinois Application July 19, 1946, Serial No. 684,672

3 Claims. l

The invention relates to anti-sag attachments for screen doors and such other doors as have a tendency to sag and has for an object to provide an improved device for application to such doors for the purpose of bracing the same to thereby remove and eliminate sagging which such doors readily develop following extended periods of use.

A diagonal bracing rod with turnbuckle adjustment for lengthening or shortening the rod has generally been used to remove and eliminate sagging in doors particularly of the screen type wherein the frame includes a plurality of jointed members. Such bracing is visible and is otherwise objectionable. The improved attachment of the invention is invisible since it is applied to the upright frame and center cross-bar members, and in addition to performing an anti-sagging function the present attachment also serves to reinforce the cross-bar member and to rigidly join the same to the frame of the door.

Another object of the invention resides in the provision of an anti-sagging and bracing attachment for screen doors which can be used on either right or left swinging doors.

A further object resides in the provision of an anti-sagging attachment for the purposes described which will incorporate an adjusting screw for selectively adjusting the attachment to thereby elevate the door to the extent necessary for removing the sag in the door.

With these and various other objects in view, the invention may consist of certain novel features of construction and operation as will be more fully described and particularly pointed out in the specification, drawings and claims appended hereto.

ln the drawings which illustrate an embodiment of the invention and wherein like reference characters are used to designate like parts- Figure l is a front elevational view of a screen door with the attachment of the invention applied thereto as contemplated by the invention;

Figure 2 is a sectional view through the attachment substantially along line 2-2 of Figure 1; and

Figure 3 is a sectional view illustrating the action of the adjusting screw taken substantially along line 3 3 of Figure 2.

The invention as illustrated in the drawings is applied to a screen door such as I including the upright frame members II and I2 and which are suitably joined to the transverse frame members I3 at the top and I4 at the bottom. The cross-bar member I5 is located substantially midway of the door and forms the third transverse member, all

of which have a jointed connection with the upright frames II and I2. The door Ill has hinges I6 attached to the upright frame II and accordingly any sag will occur with respect to the upright member I2 and the respective transverse members. For bracing the-se members the attachment of the invention is applied as shown in Figure l, the same being invisible from the outside and also having the effect of joining crossbar member I5 to the hinged upright II.

The attachment essentially comprises a leverage arm I8 in the form of a channel bar as is clear from Figure 2 and which bar is secured at one end to the upright member I I and at its other end to the cross-bar member I5 as by screws i9. This channel bar, preferably formed of any suitable metal, therefore joins or unites these two members and functions as a brace to rigidly connect them and reinforce the jointed construction. A xed metal abutment plate 2li is 'associated with the leverage arm and said plate is secured in proper position on the upright frame member II by the securing screws 2 I. Said proper position locates the plate over the leverage arm, the plate being of channe] shape for the purpose and thus clearance is provided for an auxiliary or wear plate 22, all as shown in Figure 2. The wear plate is located between the abutment member 20 and leverage arm I8 and is in the shape of an L so as to include an upright leg and a horizontal leg. The horizontal leg is disposed under and in contact with the channel bar I 8, whereas the upright leg has a rivet 23 xed thereto and which operates in the vertical slot 24 in the abutment member.

The plate 22 is therefore connected to memberl 20 with provision being made for vertical movement of the wear plate with respect thereto.

Adjustment of the attachment is provided for by an adjusting screw 25 whichis threaded in the bottom flange or ledge 26 of the abutment member 20, the said ledge being present by reason of the channel shape of the member. Since the ledge is of thin metal the threaded connection of the screw 25 is preferably supplemented by a nut 2l which may or may not be welded or soldered to the ledge. In any event, the nut 2l is supported by the ledge and is held against turning so that rotation of the screw will move the same vertically toward or away from the horizontal leg of the wear plate 22.

By employing an auxiliary or wear plate such as 22 the height of the channel bar I8 is held to a minimum. The horizontal leg of said plate overlies the screw 25 and provides a contact member therefor since the screw engages said member, that is, the horizontal leg of the plate, and through the plate applies an upward thrust to the channel bar. If the auxiliary or wear plate were omitted it would be necessary to increase the height of the channel bar in order to insure adequate Contact of the screw therewith. This would be more expensive in that more metal would be used and it would also give thedevicea heavy-v appearance. Therefore the present construction is relatively economical to manufacture, a sturdy and streamlined appearance is presented, and the device functions very satisfactorily as a bracing attachment for doors.

The various elements comprising the pres'- ent attachment as above described are associated with each other and with a door as `shown in Figure 1. The abutment plate is fixedly secured by the screws 2| to the 'upright frame member I I, which member has connection with the hinges II-`1` and may be referred yto as the hi'rifgev member fof? the screen door. The bar I8 underlies the abutment plate and it will be 'clearly `seen that th'e adjusting screw 25 has operative contact with said b'ar I8 through the medium vof the wear platen. By adjusting the screw the" bar I8 caused to act as a leverage bar, pressure from the'fadjusting screw being applied-thereto to Velevatetl'le right hand en'd of the bar, Figure l?, and maintain the 'same elevated, thereby -eliminating any sag which may 'develop in the screen door. The left end of bar vI8 is flxedly 'securedby screw I9 to the upright 1I'I as has been described. The right hand end of vsaid bar 'I8 is =`similarly secured to the 'crSs bar Amember I5 'byv the screw I'Sa. The abutment plate 20 land adiu'sting screw 25 act to applyrpressure 'to 'bar t8, causing the same to perform: 'as a leverage lbar and maintain cross bar I5 in elevated Iposition to prevent the' screen door ffrom sagging. The extent of adjustment of bar I8 maybe 'varied by adjusting screw 25. Rotation of zthe'screvv in onedirection will 'affect'a 'lweringof the Abar l8--in which event the sani-e will rotate in a lclockwise direction, -Figures 1 and 3, having 'rotary movement around 'screw fI-S as an axis. Rotation of adjusting screw 25 -in the 'other-direction will function to elevate bar I8, inr which case the bar will have rotary fmovementein a 'counter-'clockwise direction around 'screw I-9asfan axis. Limited fadljustmentf theb'ar I`8 will be sufficient vtocounter any 'sagging'tendenc'y which the door y'may develop land the-fattacliment'will in addition have 'the desirablev function lof reinforcing the crossbar member for *rigidly joining lthe'sarne `to Ithe frame'of'thedoor.

The `invention is `not =to be-limited vto or by details of construction of the Yparticular embodi- -ment thereof illustrated by the 'drawings as various 'formsrof the 'device lwill ofcoursebe apparent `:to those vskilled :in the art without vdeparting :from 4vthe spiritof the invention-or -the scope of theclaims What `isV claimed-is: 1

I. Ina bracing -attachment forsuch doors as have substantially vertical-frame members and transverse Emembers, inv combinatiom. a channel banadapted to be secured-at one-end to-one of said vertical frame-members -of the door-and at its other -end -toA 1a transverse member thereof and being disposed substantially parallel to the transverse membersl `anabutment member substantially channel-shaped in cross sectionalso having securement to said tvertical `frame membei' in associated relation with the channel bar whereby said abutment member overlies the channel bar, a wear plate connected to said abutment member in a manner permitting limited movement of the plate vertically of said abutment member, said plate being interposed between theabutment member and the channelv bar, and an adjusting screw'carried" by the abutment member and positioned under the channel bar, said adjusting screw having operation to contact the wear plate and through the medium of said plate to apply pressure to the channel bar whereby to eliminate and prevent-'sagging of the do'or.

2. A bracing attachment for such doors as have a substantially vertical hinge member forming 1one of the lside frames of the door and transverse members connected to said hinge member', in combination, a leverage bar substantially channel-shaped in cross section adapted to be secured at 4one end to the hinge member and at its other end to. one of said transverse members and being disposed substan'tlaily parallel to the transverse member, an Vabutment member also substantiallyy 'channelshaped inA cross Isection and: :adapted to be secured to the hing'emembensaid Vabutment. member when in securedposition overlying `the leverage bar intermediate its; endsfand being independent thereof, a wear .plate carried by the abutment member and interposed between 'said member and the leverage bar, and an adjusting screw 'carried' by the. 4abutment member and positioned below the leverage `bar .but adapted to engage the same indirectly through the wear plate, whereby pressure may be applied to the leverage" bar 'in an upward 'direction :by adjustment of fthescrew for eliminating and prevent- 4ing sagging of the door.

3. In a bracing attachment for `suchfdocrs as havea substantiallyvertical hinge member `formin'gfone of the side frames of thedocrandy transverse members connected l'to said :hinge member, in combination, a leverageA lbar lsubstantially channel-shaped -irrfcross section 'and adapted 'for securement at fone' end to "the hinge member and atv its 'other :end tof'the itra'nsverse Amember and being disposed substantially parallel to the transverse4 member, an abutment member valso substantially channeleshap'ed in cross section and ladapted to besecured ftc the hinge, member, said abutment yfulcrum member when insecured .position overlying' the-"leverage `bar intermediate itsends and being "independent thereof, ya wear plate y'connected to theabutment member in ya manner permitting limited verticalv movement of Lthe plate, Isaid`=plate having 'a horizontal leg -located-under ktheleveragefbar and providing a contact :and wear rmember ior :the bar, .and -an adjusting screw 'carried 'by .the abutment member .andiadapted to contact 'the horizontal leg of said'eplate -whereby t'oapply upwardfpressure to the leveragebar'to hold-'the bar in desiredliadlju'sted position.

JAMES H. BOYE.

REFERENCES -CIll1ED A The following referentes are 'f 'record inthe ile of this patent:

UNEIED STATES PATENTS Number N'a'me Date 943,673 Friberg c n s 1DeC. 2.1, '.1909 41,055,167 Hanson-schach-s-- ."Marr4, '1913 

